Kevin De Bruyne forced off just 22 minutes into season with new injury blow

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De Bruyne pulled up midway through the first half at Turf Moor (

Image: Sky Sports)

Kevin De Bruyne limped off midway through the first half of Manchester City’s opening match of the Premier League season at Burnley in a new injury worry for the Belgian.

The midfielder, City’s captain on the night, pulled up with a problem just after the 20th minute of the match at Turf Moor, and was quickly comforted by Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva as he crouched with his hands on his knees.

De Bruyne handed the captain’s armband to Kyle Walker and was replaced by Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who came on for his City Premier League debut.

The Belgian also left the field early in City’s Champions League final win over Inter Milan in June after picking up a hamstring injury, and Sky Sports co-commentator Jamie Carragher said he hoped it wasn’t a recurrence of that problem.

“You hope it’s not the hamstring issue from the Champions League final because if it’s a recurring injury, then it gets even worse,” he said.

“If it’s a new injury, then it’s simply bad luck. We’ve seen that quality he’s shown us already, but here’s the new man from Chelsea, Mateo Kovacic.”

City led the match 1-0 at the time of the injury through an early goal from Haaland, who then doubled their lead before the break with a superb finish.

De Bruyne was forced off in the 22nd minute and replaced by Kovacic (

Image:

Getty Images)

De Bruyne only came on as a 64th minute substitute in City’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal at Wembley last week, with the 32-year-old missing his penalty in the shootout.

He has been one of the most vocal players about the risk of burnout faced by stars in the modern game, with new rules around timewasting and the extension of injury time also not well received by several big names.

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Speaking last year during a summer international break De Bruyne said: “It is what it is. Obviously when people ask me a question I will give you my honest answer.

“People will take it good or bad. I don’t care. I know nothing is going to change.

“Even with what I have said, I have played three games at the top of my physical level and I’m probably one of the only ones with Axel (Witsel) who has played these three games for Belgium.

“So physically I am fine. But it just doesn’t make any sense.”